How to Save a Rainy Day

Florida weather is not the most predictable, especially during the summer months.  Rain showers and thunderstorms come and go as many times as you see Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom! Don't let the rain get you down because Disney World actually has a lot of ways to save a rainy day!

1. Take a shopping break- Every theme park has a very wide array of shops to choose from, and luckily they are usually indoors.  Browse the stores and buy souvenirs for your family while its raining.  You are going to do it at some point during your trip, so why not when its raining.  If you don't want to worry about carrying your merchandise around in the rain, Disney has a policy in which they can send your packaged merchandise to guest relations in the front of the park and you can pick it up later.  So buy anything you want, you only need to carry it from the park exit to your hotel!

2. Take a food break- Everybody can always go for a quick snack, so stop by any quick service restaurant and grab fries or a drink while you wait for the rain to stop.  While you eat you are having quality family time and can even plan the rest of the day.  If it starts raining within a half hour of any table service reservation, head to the restaurant because you may be able to get seated early.  And even if you end up waiting, you can enjoy the atmosphere of the waiting area of the restaurant.  Usually there is seating available, plus you will be dry!

3. Head to indoor rides- Many rides in Disney World are indoor and have indoor queue lines.  Just because it is raining, doesn't mean your day is ruined!  I will give a list of indoor rides below so you can make sure to head there in case a storm hits your vacation!!

Magic Kingdom

• Space Mountain 
• Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
• Stitch's Great Escape
• Carousel of Progress
• Snow White's Scary Adventures
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• It's a Small World
• Peter Pan's Flight
• Mickey's Philharmagic
• The Haunted Mansion
• The Hall of Presidents
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• The Enchanted Tiki Room

Epcot

• Spaceship Earth
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends Attraction
• Living with the Land
• Soarin
• The Circle of Life
• Captain EO
• Journey into Imagination with Figment
• Mission: Space
• Universe of Energy
• Maelstrom
• Gran Fiesta Tour

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
• The Magic of Disney Animation
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Toy Story Mania
• The Great Movie Ride
• The American Idol Experience
• Star Tours-The Adventure Continues
• Muppet Vision 3D

Animal Kingdom

• It's Tough to be a Bug
• Expedition Everest
• Dinosaur
• Festival of the Lion King

4. Buy Rain slickers- All over Disney World, Rain slickers are available.  Don't forget to save them for your next trip so you don't need to buy new ones.  They will keep you dry and fold up to almost nothing.  Use them as you walk from place to place and you will be able to enjoy the park as if it were sunny!

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Main Street Electrical Parade

All of the Disney World Theme Parks have fantastic parades to offer.  A favorite Magic Kingdom is the Main Street Electrical Parade.  Tinkerbell leads the parade of LED lights and special effects that light up all of Main Street U.S.A.








This is a must see for any kids! It is a parade like no other because every float is completely covered in lights.  All of your kids favorite Disney characters are in this parade and make it so special for them.  There are 23 different floats that go through this showstopping parade.

The parade follows the traditional Magic Kingdom parade route which is heading from Main Street to Frontierland.  There are plenty of viewing locations throughout the route, but it gets crowded early.  Plan to arrive 45 minutes early to snag the perfect viewing spot! Usually the parade runs during peak seasons and special events!

Disney Tip: During super peak seasons, there are 2 shows, an early and a late one.  If your family has enough steam left in them, plan to stay for the later show because it is usually less crowded!

For more information on the Main Street Electrical Parade, please check out this link:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/entertainment/main-street-electrical-parade/

ESPN Club

Location: Disney's Boardwalk Inn
Serves: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
Reservations: None accepted
Price: Moderate
Cuisine: American Bar Food
Disney Dining Plan: Yes
Menu Standouts: Buffalo Wings, Philly Cheesesteak, and Cocktails






If you have a sports fan in your family, this is the place to take them! My brother is the biggest sports fan you could ever imagine, so when we found this restaurant we knew it was a must! Best part, no reservations required! I personally have never had to wait for a table, but I am sure at peak seasons there is a wait, but luckily next tour is an awesome arcade that allows the wait time to go by fast!




There are about 100 televisions all over this restaurant making it the number one choice for sports bar on Disney property.  Awesome atmosphere with sports memorabilia everywhere.  It may seem like a traditional bar, but this place is a great place for kids especially big sports fans.  Plenty of families spend lunch and dinner in this restaurant and it is very kid friendly.

Not only if the atmosphere great, but the food is awesome.  They are famous for their buffalo wings which are out of this world with multiple sauces to choose from, from mild to super hot.  Philly cheesesteaks, juicy burgers, sizzling hot dogs, tasty sandwiches, succulent barbecue, sensational salads, and of course thirst-quenching beer and cocktails.  Of course there is a kids meal with burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and more!

Don't miss this restaurant for the sports lover in your family.  Fantastic food, great atmosphere, and tons of fun for the entire family!

For more information about the ESPN Club, check out this link:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/espn-club/

Disney Mobile Magic

With all of the new apps for smart phones, Disney had to come up with an absolutely fantastic app, and they sure did deliver! The Disney Mobile Magic App has everything you could want to know about Disney.  It is for both Disneyland and Disney World.  I will focus on the Disney World Part!

When you are in Disney World, your phone recognizes with park, resort, or other place you are!


If you are in a park, you have a guide map right on your phone! One of the best features is the list of attractions with ride times listed.  It gives up to the minute times of all of rides in that park, plus the time in which the current FastPasses are available.  No more worrying if FastPass times will overlap or you will miss your favorite ride because the line is too long! You also have a list of all of the characters in the park and when the characters will be at a specific location.

Dining is also on the App! Choose any restaurant and see available reservations right on your phone!

You can even check the weather for up to 3 days and play games like Disney Trivia and a Disney Character Quiz!

You can even set up favorites and check transportation schedules from your current location!

What a great way to navigate around the park.  Best part is that it is completely free and definitely alleviates stresses in the park.  Don't go to Disney without this app because it will make your life way easier!

Mickey's Philharmagic

Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom
FastPass: No
Ride Type: 3-D Show
Restrictions: None
Ages: All ages
Typical Wait Time: See now

The queue line at Mickey's Philharmagic!

This 3-D show is a crowd pleaser for sure! You are seated in Mickey's Opera House with your Opera Glasses (3-D glasses) and get to see all of your favorite Disney characters.  It starts out with everybody's favorite duck, Donald, who tries to steal Mickey's sorcerer hat and wand and lead his orchestra.  You journey through movie's like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and much more! The songs are classics and all of the kids ( and kids at heart) love singing along.



The 3-D effects are excellent! You even sometimes have some 4-D effects like water (don't worry, not too much) and Donald flying through the audience.  Even though it is dark, usually this ride does not scare the youngsters in your family!  It is 12 minutes long so it is definitely a really great experience without feeling too long.  This will definitely be one of your child's favorite because it combines all of the best Disney movies into one.  I know my brother and I who are now in our 20's still love seeing this film because it takes us right back to our childhood! Adults love it because it really is a fantastic show and you can't help but get caught up with the music.

Because this is an indoor ride, it is a great idea if the weather gets too hot or it begins to rain! Also the line is usually never too long because shows happen frequently and the Opera House is very large!  It's a great idea if the park gets really crowded and other lines are far too long!

P.S.: Don't forget to return your Opera Glasses on the way out!

Disney Fun Fact: Mickey's Philharmagic is home to one of the largest SEAMLESS projection screens in the world! You'll see why when you visit!

For more information on Mickey's Philharmagic, please follow this link:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/mickeys-philharmagic/

The Crystal Palace

Location: Main Street U.S.A., Magic Kingdom
Serves: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Reservations: Highly Recommended
Price: Moderate to Expensive
Cuisine: American Buffet
Disney Dining Plan: Yes
Menu Standouts: Omelet Station and Carving Station

Winnie the Pooh French Toast

One of the best restaurants in Disney World is the Crystal Palace.  From the food to the entertainment to the atmosphere, this is a HUGE hit for the entire family! It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is an all you can eat buffet.  My family and I always go for breakfast just because the breakfast foods are really special and spectacular.  They have wonderful breakfast potatoes covered in cheese, delicious egg casseroles, Mickey Mouse shaped waffles, a cooked to order omelet station, and the most fabulous french toast covered in cinnamon and sugar! Dinner is just as fabulous with a carving station, mashed potatoes, different vegetables, delicious breads, and fantastic apple crumbles and ice cream desserts! All meals have a fantastic kids buffet that you even catch adults sneaking food from sometimes!

Besides the great food is the fantastic atmosphere.  There is nothing better than walking down Main Street on a Sunday morning and entering this beautiful crystal room.  No lights are necessary because the sun glistens in the windows and illuminates the whole restaurant.  Beautiful topiaries of all of the Winnie the Pooh characters are in the center of the room.  It just can't get more beautiful than this!





On top of the food and atmosphere, this restaurant is also part of Disney's Character Dining.  Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet make their rounds at every meal from table to table to sign autographs and take pictures.  What a great way to meet characters without waiting on line in the Florida sun! Don't worry if you are at the buffet when the characters come to your table, they usually fit in 2 rounds to every table throughout one meal.  Every half hour, this restaurant goes into an uproar when all of the kids (and kids at heart) are invited to join the parade with the characters around the restaurant.
Don't miss this Disney favorite! Reservations go fast for this restaurant, especially for breakfast! Don't be late because this is one place you don't want to miss!!

For a further description of Winnie the Pooh's French Toast, please follow this link:
Winnie the Pooh's French Toast

For more information on the Crystal Palace, please follow this link:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/the-crystal-palace/

Tips for Quickly Entering the Parks

Entering the Park can take some time especially at peak seasons.  At park opening the entrance can get extremely crowded.  Here are some tips to speed up your time at the entrance so you can spend more time in the park!

1. Pack Wisely!-There is a bag check by security guards at the entrance of every single park and lines can get pretty long.  Pack as lightly as you can because this definitely alleviates time there.  Bring only the basics like sun screen and personal belongings.  If you must bring a bag packed with lots of snacks, try to unzip any zippers before hand so the security guards can easily check pockets and pouches.  My mom and I actually found clear purses that make it very easy when going through the bag check.  Security guards have always complimented them because they never even need to open our bags, they just shine a line through and can see everything!
2. Have park hoppers ready!- After bag check comes entering the park! Have each guest already hold their park hopper in their hand to speed up the process. Usually park hoppers have a different disney character on each one, so assign each family member a different character for the entire trip.  Make sure everybody is familiar with the protocol of what happens: Insert your ticket arrow facing in, put your pointer finger on the finger machine, wait for the light to turn green, go through the turn style, and collect your card.  If there are any issues, a cast member is there to help.  Getting this process down really makes things go quickly.
Quick Tip: Assign a "carder" for the entire trip! My parents always gave me and my brothers jobs to do on our Disney trips and my brother was always the "carder".  He has the exclusive and very important job of collecting all of our cards after we entered the park and handing them to my dad for safe keeping.  Not only did he feel special because he had a job, but our tickets never got lost and it sped up park entrance!
3. Separate your party! - Now that my brother and I are older, we usually separate into a couple of different lines.  When we were younger, my mom and me would go on one line and my brother and dad went on another line.  We basically cut our time in half and we would make it a little contest to see who's line would move faster!  Never let a child go on a line by his or herself but splitting up your party with adult supervision can be a great way to speed things up!
4. Bring your own strollers!- Stroller lines in the morning are long and torturous! Everybody is excited to get started and now you have to wait on a ridiculously long line to pay a fee to have a stroller that you only need to return later that night when everybody is exhausted and needs to go home.  Yes carrying a stroller around can be quite a pain, but it saves lots of time and can be taken in and out of the park.  You don't need to pay each day for a new stroller and you don't need to return it.  I spent many years in those strollers and let me tell you, they are not that comfy!

Hope these tips make entering the park quick and painless!